Harry Reid Calls GOP Sen. Coburn a ‘Dictator’
- Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:25am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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GOP Sen. Tom Coburn (Okla.)
WASHINGTON (The Blaze/AP) — A single Republican senator’s objections plus a procedural snarl could force another partial shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration at the end of this week, potentially putting thousands of workers out of jobs and depriving the government of $30 million a day in uncollected airline ticket taxes. And those objections have garnered criticism from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who called the senator a “dictator.”
Senate rules don‘t allow lawmakers to shift from the bill they’re currently working on, a disaster aid bill, to a stop-gap funding measure for the FAA and highway programs without the consent of all lawmakers, Reid said Wednesday.
Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., is refusing to give his consent. Coburn wants to change the highway portion of the stopgap transportation bill that the House passed on Tuesday by eliminating a requirement that states spend a portion of their highway program dollars on “transportation enhancements” like bike and walking paths and projects aimed at drawing tourists.
Without directly naming Coburn, Reid effectively accused the GOP senator of acting like a “dictator” by insisting the rest of the Senate accept his amendment.
“It’s a pretty good way to legislate around here, be a dictator and say either take this or leave it,” Reid said. “I’m convinced his issue would lose overwhelmingly. But he’s holding this legislation up, and we are in a position now legislatively that I can’t get … to this bill prior to Friday, when the FAA expires.”
Republicans say the Senate could have passed the transportation bill in time if Reid hadn’t brought up the disaster aid bill first. Because Coburn and several other GOP senators also opposed bringing up that measure, Reid on Tuesday set in motion parliamentary procedures that would allow the Senate to pass the disaster aid bill by Saturday.
Democrats have been negotiating with Coburn, with Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., acting as a go-between. But Coburn said in speech on the Senate floor late Wednesday that he won’t back down with regard to transportation spending. He said he wouldn’t object if Reid split off the FAA portion of the bill and passed that separately before Friday. Since that would change the bill, the House would have to pass the bill as well before the deadline.
But Adam Jentleson, a spokesman for Reid, noted the transportation and disasters bill “sailed through the Republican-led House.”
“We should not have to put thousands of American jobs at risk because one Republican senator is not getting his way,” he said.
Pointing to the nation’s 146,000 bridges that are structurally deficient, Coburn said it‘s wrong to require states to spend money on projects that don’t enhance safety when they could spend the money on repairing or replacing bridges. He released a list of 40 enhancement projects that he described as low priorities, including $111,804 for a sanctuary for white (albino) squirrels in Kenton, Tenn. Gibson County, where Kenton is located, calls itself “The Home of the White Squirrel” because families of white squirrels live throughout the town.
Among other projects on his list were $150,000 to build a critter crossing in Monkton, Vt., for migrating salamanders and other amphibians whose numbers are dwindling in part due to roadway traffic, $250,000 build a twin dragons arch over the entrance to Los Angeles’ Chinatown neighborhood, and $500,000 to restore windows, doors, bricks and shutters in a Toledo, Ohio, lighthouse.
Coburn said enhancement funds amount to 10 percent of the federal surface transportation program, but a Transportation Department official said it actually accounts for about 2 percent of all highway aid. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the department’s stance contradicted the senator.
Also, most enhancement dollars go to more parochial projects like bike paths and walking trails. States, not the federal government, chose which enhancement projects they want to fund.
“I would think we would rather repair these 146,000 bridges rather than redecorating a (road) side,” Coburn said.
A partisan standoff between House Republicans and Senate Democrats forced the FAA to partially shut down for two weeks this summer. Nearly 4,000 FAA workers were furloughed and more than 200 airport construction and safety projects halted, affecting tens of thousands of other workers. The government lost nearly $400 million in airline ticket taxes because airlines no longer had authority to collect the fees.
Without congressional action, the FAA would face another partial shutdown on Friday, when its current operating authority expires. Authority for highway, transit and rail programs, as well as the federal gasoline and diesel taxes that provide the largest share of funding for the programs, are due to expire on Sept. 30.
Long-term funding for the FAA expired in 2007 and highway programs in 2009. Both programs have been continued through a series of short-term extensions. The latest bill would be FAA‘s 21st extension and the highway program’s eighth.
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Comments (187)
Danzig
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 8:05amStand your ground Sen. Colburn. We have your back.
Report Post »BetsyRoss1
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 8:40amWe sure do, no more wasteful spending!
Report Post »Tea!
one years food ration like glenn says
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 8:47am“It’s a pretty good way to legislate around here, be a dictator and say either take this or leave it,” Reid said… Really Harry ? You and your ilk had not one problem doing this when you forced obamacare down our throats .. It was your way or the highway then, but now all of a sudden it’s a different story when the tables are turned.. Hmmm, don’t like the way it feels huh, Harry ? Well, let this be a learning experience for you and your liberal devils that it works both ways.. Next time listen when the public speaks.. I know, I just wrote this for no reason, in one ear and out the other…
Report Post »ScreaminEagle
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 8:53am‘Dictator’? He has the nerve to say that after he and Pelosi ramed OB Care down our throats. Nevada get rid of this Idjut.
Report Post »Jim in Houston
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 9:31amSenator tell Dirty Harry to FOAD!!
Report Post »Okie from Muskogee
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 9:32amIt is called principles, Harry….
We the People support Tom and he is doing OUR work. Take notes Harry, you might just learn something.
Stand strong Tom and thank you for doing the peoples work and being a great Senator for Oklahoma.
Report Post »Edct
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 9:49amDon’t give in Coburn….we need to take back America and let the political whores in Washington know we are sick of being treated like black slaves on the plantation and dirty harry needs to get out of town and go back to his little farm in NV to watch his wet backes work in the fields for him.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 10:08amThe other thing Cuburn needs to hold up is ,
Report Post »HARRY REID BY HIS THROAT AND THEN KNEE HIM IN HIS NUTS !!!
Gary Fishaholic
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 10:20amI can‘t understand how Reid kept his job oh yea union thuggery and illegal’s. I am with you Sen. Coburn stop the needless spending.
Report Post »fancydancy
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 12:06pmLooks like Mr. Reid is playing the political card as usual while Mr. Coburn is MAKING SENSE and
Report Post »doing what is best for everyone. Sigh…it gets so disheartening to think our congressmen have lost their way when they hold such powerful sway over the lives of so many of us.
FNTM
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 12:08pmSome nerve the little twit has. Particularly after he and the SEIU stole the election. SEIU busing all the hotel/motel workers in Las Vegas and Reno to the polling places during working hours is at the very least underhanded and may even be election fraud.
Report Post »MIBUGNU2
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 5:57pmI didn’t HATE unions, until they got this “Little Toad” re-elected..
to the Senate. Pelosi,Reid and Obama are Leeches……..
Report Post »mayebe57
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:33pmI agree, stand strong Sen Coburn, Reid needs to learn time management, and not let everything wait until the last minute. Nevada voter here-Reid out next time around.
Report Post »Open Mind
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 10:23pmHarry Reid is a disgusting sub-human. Hopefully the people in Nevada will come to their senses and vote this cretin out. He and the Democrats have hurt this country badly (especially Nevada).
Report Post »KYWATCHDOG
Posted on September 16, 2011 at 12:38pmDanzig,
Report Post »Harry’s merely trying to divert attention from the news that he and his comrades have created a 13.4% unemployment rate in Nevada. Who’s buyin ya today Dingy Harry?
Ruler4You
Posted on September 17, 2011 at 7:22amCome on Harry, you know you did the same thing just over a year ago. What goes around comes around. Savvy?
Report Post »Codger
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 8:02amSenator Coburn is one of my states Senators… and I trust his judgement on this. I don’t trust Harry Reid at all or too many Democrats other for that matter.
Report Post »SlimnRanger
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 8:31amSen. Coburn is also my senator and he is a good man,Reid is the pot calling the kettle black,Obama is a wannabe dictator,stand firm Sen. Coburn
Report Post »INOGAWD
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 9:47amReid, Pelosi and Obama need to crawl back under their ROCK !!!
Thanks to the slimeball unions we still have Dirty Harry, and the
Botox Queen will be here forever thanks to Mexifornia……
But we can have Bama impeached…Solyndra Gate,,,SOOOON..
Report Post »chfields62
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 1:27pmStand your ground Coburn!! The people are behind you!
Report Post »ComeAndTakeThis
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:59amDragons and squirrls and windows OH MY! What a criminal waste of federal funds.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 8:40amWhat scares me is they want so many walking paths and bicycle paths, are they planning on making it hard to own/drive a car?
Report Post »olsparkee
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 9:53amHe said it was
Stupid, ignorant, misguided – yes
Criminal – no
Should we have a conservative come over and read the big words to you?
Report Post »fibgirl
Posted on September 16, 2011 at 3:52amHi LoriAnn, you are completely right….check out agenda 21, from the United nation, working thru our local governments…www.freedomadvocates.org will open your eyes.
Here in California, they are trying to lock up our rivers and declare them wildlife refuges, get the farmers off their land through finding endangered species or conservation easements, and get us all to move into high density housing, with few cars, so that no one gets asthma. Last time I checked, asthma prevention wasn’t in the constitution…. Just like the EPA shutting down our coal plants for the same reason. Defund the EPA, please, congress!! We must resist this at a local level. They are replacing our city and county governments with regional governments, not subject to the rules of a state constitution.
Agenda 21, check it out…Romney refused to answer a question about it at AZ townhall. Romney and Perry are for it, we need someone who will stand against it. Also, try http://www.democratsagainstUNagenda21.com, even democrats understand that we want to keep our private property rights!! Thanks Coburn for wanting to build a bridge instead of an animal crossing. 150k, give me a break.
Report Post »TxMadMac
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:58amWhat about all the taxes we pay to maintain the bridges and highways where the he!! has that money gone ? It’s like social security and medicare. We have funds set up to pay for them and the politicians rob them blind and the taxpayer is left holding the bag ! Enough ! We don’t need a dam bike trail or walking path or anything cosmetic ! Tighten up your belt dc !
Report Post »beekeeper
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:58amWhere is the long-term solution to fund the FAA? After the Left’s belly-achingduring the last shutdown it‘s too bad they didn’t do something more permanent than ‘kicking the can’ out 60 days…
Also interesting is how Reid chose the bills to take up, and is now shocked to see that ‘the party of no’ is blocking legislation – ALMOST like he set the Republicans up, hoping they’d do this…
Someday the FAA workers will realize their Democrat lawmakers view them as nothing more than pawns to generate bad press for the GOP
House passed the bill, and Reid is responsible for the Senate, right?
Report Post »kentuckypatriot
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 8:58amRegarding the FAA and the short term extensions, I agree with you completely. Why didn’t they do anything in 2009? Oh, I forgot, both houses were controlled by democRATS!
Report Post »martinrnelson
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:56amReid…you are a hypocritical SOB. I remember you, Nancy Pelosi and the President doing backdoor deals to pass healthcare. You know, the healthcare law that a majority of Americans disagreed with. So go EAD Harry.
Report Post »caseydog27
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:55amWhere the heck are the rest of the conservatives, so much for reduced spending – squirrels really?!!!
Report Post »NuffSaid
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:54amStand your ground Sen Coburn! It’s called principle, logic and accountability. You are on very firm ground.
I don’t care if fed employees are laid off. I don’t care if they cannot collect taxes. Take care of one issue at a time.
Stop the madness. Thank you!
Report Post »IndianaJan
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 10:34amAmen.
Report Post »FREDD The WILSON
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:54amFinally, the GOP is growing some testical fortitude.Do what is right for the country, not what is right for you. Congress take note., it is decisions like this that will bring our country back from the Obamination.
REPEAL OBAMACARE!!!
Report Post »Just South Of Heaven
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:52amMaybe he can blame his uncivility on something he was smoking at one of them Cowboy Poetry Gatherings?
Report Post »chazman
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 8:10am… speaking of Cowboy Poetry, how can this stupid, moronic buthead, Hairy Reed, justify our tax dollars going to support that organization? Where in the constitution does it say our tax dollars can be used for that? That son of a bitch should be indicted!
… In my dreams I take a baseball bat to Hairy Reed’s face …
Report Post »beenaroundyaknow
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:52amWhat goes around, comes around Harry. Apparently he has no short or medium term memory.
Report Post »Redscot
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 12:34pmReid has a convenient memory. It is okay for him to do this but not a GOP member trying to save the taxpayer money. Lousy little hypocrite.
Report Post »Want our country back
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:49amI keep posting the same thing:
“THEY” are what they accuse us of being – dictators. Saul Alinsky
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:57amNancy Pelousy pushed thru a Bill that the DEMOCRATS didn’t even read. Obummercare is a DEMOCRAT dictators bill. Screw you DEMOCRAT”S. I hope you fail.
Report Post »cpowers
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:48amMr. Reid….. your union thugs are just about finished with you, then what? Maybe you should crawl on your knees through the Nevada desert and curl up next to one of your Pomegranate trees. God bless your tortured soul, you too are now dismissed.
Report Post »Bill Rowland
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:48amHarry is just a mouthpeace for Obumbler. The bike paths and other tourist friendly projects may take up onlu 2% of the appropriation but that 2% might replace a bridge that is failing and save lives and keep a major Interstate open.
Come on Harry make the minor change – you found ways to force Obama care on us now find a way to eliminate the pork projects from this bill.
Sen Tom Coburn is my kind of Senator – He’s got a set of cajones.
OMG – Psalm 109:8
Report Post »mrfunn
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:46am.
Let the name calling begin…ah…continue.
Great leadership Harry.
Report Post »mwhaley
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:52amReally Nevada voters, How did this prune get back in the box?
Report Post »megansmom
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 8:32amI believe Harry Reid won that election through fraud and theft. ever heard the saying: It‘s not who votes for you It’s who you put in charge of elections.
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 10:13amI agree that there was a lot of voter fraud in Nevada in 2010. How do you overcome double digit polling on every front in FAVOR of your opponent and still win?
Report Post »handsoffmystuff
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:46amI work for the FAA and we got a two week vacation. Period. We always get paid after the time off. I say stand your ground for as long as you can Coburn…. I’m sure Turtle McConnel will blink.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:44am.
Do ya’ll ever wonder just what kind of idiot voted for Harry in the first place?…..
I think we should tax all dems. at 99% and any moron that voted for Obama……..
Report Post »Darla_K
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 10:36amOr let the people that voted for Obummer pay the debt back and all the people that cry for the illegals having rights pay their way and take them into their homes.
Report Post »HKS
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:42amRight on Que, If you want to know what a liberal is doing, just look at what they are bitching about. The old fart and point game, there like kids.
Report Post »team1blazer
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 9:12amHKS, LOL “fart and point game” I’ve never heard that term before, but I like it!
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 10:10amThat is PRICELESS! Fart and point game. That will be everywhere now! It is SO BASIC AND TRUE! Thanks, and I am SO using it! :)
Report Post »ColoradoMaverick
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:41amReid is a moron. When is congress going to realize that legislation they pass with mandates requiring various states to spend money is really unconstitutional. The federal government has no business in state issues and should not be able to pass anything that requires individual states to spend money. Doesn’t Reid realize that states cannot print money like the fed does?
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:36amHey Harry, you and stretch face Pelosi sure looked like dictators to me when you shoved Obamacare down the throats of the American people who did not want it.
Report Post »thegodfather
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:34amHarry says: “Will you Republicans please get on board with us, so we can blame YOU guys for this mess we made. Our “Blame Bush campaign is running out of steam”
Report Post »DagneyT
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:32amThank you, Senator Coburn, for doing your job. Mandating bike lanes is a waste of our money, and the senator is paying attention to details the liberals are sneaking in again and again. Kudos to him.
Report Post »FedUpWithLeft
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:32amHarry Harry Harry, your boss Obama is the only Dictator in this country. Oh he’s the puppet. Pardon me it’s Georgie Boy Soros
Report Post »AJAYW
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:47amAgree- and he jumps when told to. Won’t allow bills brought to the floor of the house when told not to. Hes a POS
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:31amOh, my goodness. If that isn’t the pot calling the kettle black, I don’t know what it is. harryreid, you old sick perverted, sold-out miserable soul…. give us a break!
Report Post »bandi9
Posted on September 15, 2011 at 7:29amgee, AP, so where do you stand on this? your news service makes me want to vomit
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